Department for Transport

Aviation

lord bruce of bennachie: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assurances they have sought or received that UK registered airlines will be able to operate post-Brexit (1) between the UK and EU destinations, and (2) between destinations within the EU.

baroness sugg: The Government continues to work towards a Withdrawal Agreement with the EU. If that is concluded, UK airlines would continue to operate as now in the period immediately after exit under the transition arrangements. In the event that the UK leaves the EU without having concluded a Withdrawal Agreement, the EU institutions are in the process of adopting a Regulation that would temporarily maintain rights for UK airlines to operate to and from the EU, but not within the EU.

Dartford-Thurrock Crossing: Tolls

lord lucas: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Baroness Sugg on 21 February (HL13555), in the period 30 November 2014 to 31 December 2018 (1) what was the total amount received as a result of people paying the Dart Charge correctly and on time, (2) what was the total gross amount of penalties, following any discount for early payment, incurred by the 11,058,152 people who did not make the payment correctly, and (3) of those 11,058,152 people, how many (a)paid using the discount, (b) paid the full penalty without requiring bailiff action, and (c) required bailiff action to recover the debt;and what was the amount recovered through each of these means.

baroness sugg: The total amount received as a result of people paying the Dart Charge correctly and within the required time-frame to comply with the scheme order between 30 November 2014 and 31 December 2018 is approximately £424 million. The total revenue received from enforcement activity is recorded in the Dartford Thurrock River Crossing audited accounts, published annually. Enforcement revenue includes Penalty Charge Notices paid, including at the discounted rate, and revenue from bailiff action. Information on the breakdown of enforcement revenue is being withheld because it would be prejudicial to the effective conduct of public affairs, insofar as it could reduce the effectiveness of enforcement activity and reduce compliance rates.

Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy

Company Accounts

baroness bowles of berkhamsted: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer byLord Henley on 23 February (HL13577), what is (1) the composition, and (2) the terms of reference of the working group set up by the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy as referred to by the Chief Executive of the Financial Reporting Council to the House of Commons Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy Committee on 5 February.

lord henley: In its response to the Insolvency and Corporate Governance consultation last year, the Government said that it would explore the strength of the case for a comprehensive review of the UK’s dividend regime, including whether any such review should consider the option of requiring companies to disclose their distributable reserves. That consideration is ongoing, but the Government has not established a working group to look at this matter.

Foreign and Commonwealth Office

Human Rights

lord alton of liverpool: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the report by Amnesty International Laws Designed to Silence: The Global Crackdown on Civil Society, published on 21 February;and how they intend to respond to its recommendations.

lord ahmad of wimbledon: We welcome the report by Amnesty International assessing the global crackdown on civil society. The report raises important issues, including concerns about the growing misuse of legislation to target civil society and prevent them from speaking out. The UK supports civil society organisations and human rights defenders in the valuable work they do to defend the full range of human rights issues. We, like Amnesty and others, are committed to ensuring civil society organisations have a safe space in which to operate.

Claudia Jones and George Padmore

lord boateng: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the availability of archive material relating to George Padmore and Claudia Jones for use by Commonwealth historians; and what steps they have taken to prevent further destruction of any files relating to them held by government departments or other state agencies.

lord ahmad of wimbledon: ​The Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO), like other government departments, is responsible for selecting its archive records for permanent preservation in line with the requirements of the Public Records Act. Records selected for permanent preservation are transferred to The National Archives (TNA) where they are available to historians and members of the public, subject to any legal exemptions. TNA holdings can be searched using their online catalogue which is available on their website.The FCO has identified two paper files relating to George Padmore which we are currently holding. Both of these files were created by the former Colonial Office and were selected for permanent preservation. One of these files has completed the review process under the Public Records Act and is legally retained by the FCO on grounds of sensitivity. The other file will be transferring to The National Archives later this year. We have not identified any files relating to Claudia Jones in the FCO archive.

Gibraltar: Spain

baroness harris of richmond: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they will ensure that the government of Spain is not allowed to extract concessions on Gibraltar when pursuing future defence, security and intelligence agreements.

lord ahmad of wimbledon: The British Government is absolutely steadfast in our support for Gibraltar, its people and its economy. To that end, we have been clear that the priorities of the Government of Gibraltar will be properly taken into account in all future discussions, including those on security matters.

Yemen: Politics and Government

the marquess of lothian: To ask Her Majesty's Government, following the meeting of the Southern Transitional Council National Assembly on 16and 17 February, what assessment they have made of the current situation in southern Yemen and the tensions between the government of Yemen and secessionist groups.

lord ahmad of wimbledon: The issue of governance arrangements for southern Yemen is ultimately a question for the Yemeni people. The UK position - and that of the UN Security Council - is to support the unity, sovereignty and independence of Yemen. We urge all Yemeni groups to pursue political aspirations through peaceful dialogue and to refrain from violence.

Armenia: Politics and Government

the marquess of lothian: To ask Her Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to support political reform in Armenia following the Velvet Revolution and the parliamentary elections in December 2018.

lord ahmad of wimbledon: ​The United Kingdom strongly supports political reform in Armenia. The Minister for Europe and the Americas discussed reform and the importance of democratic institutions with Armenia's Minister for Foreign Affairs, Zohrab Mnatsakanyan, at the Munich Security Conference this month. Armenia was included in the Good Governance Fund for the first time in 2018. The Fund provides up to £3 million of support per year for programmes in Armenia that strengthen parliamentary oversight and judicial reform, and support economic reforms in areas such as taxation. The UK provided targeted funding to support preparations for the December 2018 parliamentary elections through the Electoral Support Project in Armenia, implemented by the UN Development Programme. Following the elections, British Embassy Yerevan continues to work closely with the Government of Armenia and other donors to identify areas where UK support can provide the greatest benefit.

Ukraine: Armed Conflict

the marquess of lothian: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the situation in the Donbas region of eastern Ukraine, following Russian proxy forces refusing to giveaccess to the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe Special Monitoring Mission to certain areas in the occupied Donetsk region.

lord ahmad of wimbledon: The UK remains concerned about the situation in eastern Ukraine. Since the start of the conflict in 2014, over 10,000 people have lost their lives, and almost 25,000 have been injured. We are particularly concerned about the impact of the conflict on the civilian population. We support the efforts of Germany and France to secure a lasting end to the conflict through implementation of the Minsk Agreements.The Organisation for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE) plays an important part in resolving the conflict in eastern Ukraine including chairing meetings of the Trilateral Contact Group. The OSCE's Special Monitoring Mission in Ukraine (SMM) has a crucial and impartial role in monitoring the conflict in Ukraine. The UK is a longstanding supporter of the SMM, and we are the second largest contingent in the Mission. We remain deeply concerned by Russian-backed separatists aggressively blocking monitors from carrying out their mandated work and denying monitors access to certain parts of eastern Ukraine. It is also concerning that there are restrictions on the ability of international organisations to deliver impartial humanitarian assistance to vulnerable people in the Donbas.We urge Russia to use its considerable influence to ensure the separatists comply with their Minsk commitments, including granting unfettered access to SMM monitors.

India: Pakistan

lord taylor of warwick: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of escalating diplomatic tensions between India and Pakistan.

lord ahmad of wimbledon: The UK is deeply concerned about rising tensions between India and Pakistan. We have unequivocally condemned the appalling terrorist attack in Pulwama that sparked the situation. We welcome the fact that both countries have stated publicly they do not want to escalate tensions. We are also working hard with both governments and our international partners to encourage de-escalation and to ensure regional stability. During her phone call with Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan on 3 March, the Prime Minister welcomed the return of Wing Commander Abhinandan Varthaman to India. She also emphasised the importance of Pakistan taking action against all terrorist groups, in support of global efforts to combat terrorism.

Israel: Palestinians

baroness tonge: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the dangers to Palestinian children in territory occupied by Israel following the research by Defence for Children International–Palestine published on 31 December 2018 which said that in 2018 56 Palestinian children had been killed as a result of Israeli military action.

lord ahmad of wimbledon: The UK has repeatedly made clear to Israel our longstanding concerns about the manner in which the Israel Defense Forces police protests and the Gaza perimeter, including use of live ammunition. It is vital that all actions are proportionate, in line with International Humanitarian Law, and are calibrated to avoid civilian casualties. Children must be protected in line with international law and not put in harm's way.

Israel: Gaza

baroness tonge: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the damage to agriculture from incursions by Israeli military personnel driving bulldozers which have razed and levelled land in Gaza.

lord ahmad of wimbledon: Whilst we have not made any assessment on this issue, we have made clear to the Israeli authorities our concerns about the humanitarian and environmental impact of the damage and destruction of Palestinian agricultural land. We condemn the destruction of Palestinian property and have called on the Israeli authorities to cease such activity.

Gibraltar: Spain

lord hoyle: To ask Her Majesty's Government what discussions they have held with the government of Spain in relation to incursions into the territorial waters of Gibraltar by Spanish patrol vessels.

lord hoyle: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assurances they have received from the government of Spain that incursions by Spanish patrol vessels into Gibraltar's territorial water will cease.

lord ahmad of wimbledon: We make formal diplomatic protests to the Spanish authorities following every incursion. Our Ambassador in Madrid raised with the Spanish Government on 18 February 2019 our concerns about provocative actions and incursions by Spanish state vessels in British Gibraltar Territorial Waters (BGTW). Incursions are a violation of sovereignty, not a threat to it. They do not weaken or undermine the legal basis in international law for British sovereignty over Gibraltar, including British Gibraltar Territorial Waters.

Israel: Palestinians

lord judd: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they provide support to Palestinians brought before Israeli military courts in the West Bank to ensure that they have access to legal representation; and if so, whether they seek reimbursement for any such support from the government of Israel.

lord ahmad of wimbledon: We are concerned by aspects of the Israeli military justice and detention system. We continue to fund projects providing legal aid to minors and capacity building to local lawyers. The British legal charity "Lawyers for Palestinian Human Rights" has implemented a 'Know Your Rights' campaign in partnership with Defence for Children International-Palestine which works on projects, focused on protecting and promoting Palestinian human rights in the occupied West Bank if detained in Israel's military detention system. We remain committed to working with Israel to secure improvements to the practices surrounding Palestinians, including children, in detention in Israel.

Saudi Arabia: Arms Trade

lord roberts of llandudno: To ask Her Majesty's Government what discussions they have had with the government of Germany about arms sales to Saudi Arabia.

lord ahmad of wimbledon: The UK and Germany have regular discussions on a range of issues including defence exports to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. Officials from the Foreign and Commonwealth Office and our Embassy in Berlin continue engagement at senior and working levels. All UK export licence applications for Saudi Arabia are assessed rigorously against the Consolidated EU and National Arms Export Licensing criteria.

USA: State Visits

lord roberts of llandudno: To ask Her Majesty's Government what preparations they have made for a state visit from the President of the United States to London.

lord ahmad of wimbledon: An invitation for President Trump to pay a State Visit to the UK has been extended and accepted. The precise timings are yet to be finalised.

Russia: Jehovah's Witnesses

lord hylton: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the treatment of Jehovah's Witnesses in Russia; and what representations they have made to the government of Russia about such treatment.

lord ahmad of wimbledon: We remain deeply concerned about treatment of Jehovah's Witnesses in Russia. Of particular concern are two developments from February 2019: (1) the six year prison sentence handed down to Jehovah's Witness Dennis Christensen; and (2) reports of the torture of Jehovah's Witnesses while in detention. We worked with international partners to deliver EU statements to the Council of Europe and the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe on these issues. In these statements, we called on Russia to respect its international commitments on freedom of religion or belief, and to investigate the reports of torture, ensuring those responsible are held accountable. We continue to prioritise the promotion and protection of human rights, and will continue to make our concerns clear in bilateral interactions at all levels, where appropriate

Department of Health and Social Care

NHS: Bullying

lord beecham: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the practice of NHS trusts of using non-disclosure agreements in cases of bullying and harassment affecting staff members.

baroness blackwood of north oxford: No assessment has been made of the practice of National Health Service trusts using non-disclosure agreements in cases of bullying and harassment affecting staff members.Any clause in a settlement agreement or contract of employment which purports to prevent a member of staff from a making a protected disclosure would have no legal effect. Such clauses are often referred to as ‘gagging’ clauses and have no place in the NHS. No organisation can to put such a provision in a settlement agreement or employment contract.Since 2013, all agreements where confidentiality clauses are used, also require the inclusion of a clause which makes it crystal clear to the parties concerned, that regardless of what other clauses are used in the agreement, an individual will always be able to make a protected disclosure in the public interest and/or raise concerns about patient safety and care in accordance with their professional and ethical obligations.The NHS Long Term Plan commits £2 million per year to tackling violence against staff and bullying in the NHS. The Plan states that “To make the NHS a consistently great place to work, we will seek to shape a modern employment culture for the NHS – promoting flexibility, wellbeing and career development, and redoubling our efforts to address discrimination, violence and bullying and harassment”.

Gender Recognition: Children

lord lucas: To ask Her Majesty's Government what consideration they have given to ensuring all children under the age of 18 who have been referred to the Tavistock and Portman NHS Foundation Trust’s Gender Identity Development Service in respect of possible gender dysphoria or reassignment participate in an independent long-term study to improve the understanding of such conditions, possible courses of treatment and support for such children.

baroness blackwood of north oxford: The Tavistock and Portman NHS Foundation Trust has been awarded a research grant by the National Institute for Health Research to fund a LOGIC study (Longitudinal Outcomes of Gender Identity in Children) that will follow up children and young people aged 13 years and under referred to the Gender Identity Development Service (GIDS). This will look at outcomes with regard to young people’s physical health, quality of life and psychological wellbeing. The United Kingdom GIDS is the largest such service in the world and this combined with the increase in referrals in recent years means that it is uniquely positioned to undertake research of this kind.The research will importantly investigate outcomes over time, whether children and young people and their families remain in contact with NHS services or not. This thereby investigates outcomes for the entire cohort, encompassing those in receipt of physical (hormone/endocrine) treatments and those not receiving such interventions. The findings generated from this research will help address important gaps in the evidence, enabling services to provide better and more individualized care, benefiting patients and their families.

Methadone: Prescriptions

lord brooke of alverthorpe: To ask Her Majesty's Government what the annual cost of prescribing methadone in England was for each of the last five years.

baroness blackwood of north oxford: NHS Digital does not hold the prescription level data requested.

Health Services: British Nationals Abroad

lord bruce of bennachie: To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have to ensure that UK residents travelling to and within EU member states will be able to access health care on the same basis as currently provided by the European Health Insurance Card.

baroness blackwood of north oxford: Subject to the Withdrawal Agreement being agreed by Parliament, during the implementation period the current rules on reciprocal healthcare will continue until December 2020. This will include access to healthcare through the European Health Insurance Card (EHIC) scheme.In a ‘no deal’ scenario, the United Kingdom will seek an ongoing arrangement akin to the EHIC scheme as part of negotiations on our future arrangements with the European Union.The Healthcare (International Arrangements) Bill is intended to support the implementation of comprehensive reciprocal healthcare arrangements. In a ‘no deal’, scenario the Bill can be used to protect the health aspects of citizens’ rights, to make payments in support of healthcare access abroad, and to allow data processing to facilitate this.The reciprocal healthcare system requires reciprocity from the EU or individual Member States and cannot be protected unilaterally. The UK Government is seeking agreements with Member States, so that no individual, including those travelling in EU Member States, will face sudden changes to their healthcare cover.The Government has published updated advice for UK persons resident in countries in the European Economic Area as well as for those wishing to travel to such countries with specific information on potential changes to access to reciprocal healthcare and precautions they may wish to take in the event of a ‘no deal’.General information is available online via GOV.UK and country-specific advice can be found under the relevant sections of NHS.UK. This includes guidance for UK citizens living in European countries and suggestions on alternative arrangements they may wish to make, should existing arrangements such as the EHIC scheme cease, which appears as a section under the profile of each individual country.

NHS: Finance

lord hay of ballyore: To ask Her Majesty's Government how much additional funding they have provided to health services in the United Kingdom in the last three years.

baroness blackwood of north oxford: HM Treasury publishes expenditure on health services in the United Kingdom in its annual Country and Regional Analysis reports.The additional expenditure, above a baseline of 2014-15, on health services in the United Kingdom in the last three years is set out in the following table.YearAdditional funding above 2014-152015-16£4.6 billion2016-17£8.3 billion2017-18£11.3 billion It should be noted that these figures are not cumulative but represent the difference between the funding in each year and the baseline of 2014-15, i.e. £133.6 billion.

Health Services: Travellers

baroness whitaker: To ask Her Majesty's Government which of the eight key recommendations they plan to implement from the final report by Leeds GATE, the University of Dundee and the University of York Enhancing Gypsy, Roma and Traveller peoples’ trust: using maternity and early years’ health services and dental health services as exemplars of mainstream service provision,published on 14 September 2018.

baroness blackwood of north oxford: The Department is currently considering the recommendations set out in the report Enhancing Gypsy, Roma and Traveller peoples’ trust: using maternity and early years’ health services and dental health services as exemplars of mainstream service provision to improve uptake of services and reduce inequalities.

Department for International Development

Pakistan: Overseas Aid

lord alton of liverpool: To ask Her Majesty's Government how much aidthey provided to Pakistan over the past year; and what proportion of this aid was used to support efforts to end child abduction, forced conversion and illegal marriages.

lord bates: The UK provided £282m to Pakistan for the financial year 2018/19. Under the AAWAZ I programme (which ended in May 2018) around £400,000 was spent on preventing forced and early marriages. Some of these beneficiaries may also have been affected by forced conversion or child abduction. Under new programming, we plan to spend around £1.88 million in preventing early and forced marriages. This includes enactment of the policy and legislative framework and capacity building support of key government institutions.

Pakistan: Overseas Aid

lord alton of liverpool: To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have todivert aid given to Pakistan to training law enforcement officers in the emotional needs of the parents of kidnapped children, and in providing families with practical assistance.

lord bates: HMG has no plans to use aid specifically to support families of kidnapped children in Pakistan. The UK is supporting the implementation of the 2018 Juvenile Justice System Act (JJSA) which will help protect the legal rights of juvenile victims, witnesses and alleged offenders. Part of this will include working with law enforcement officers and families.

Yemen: Overseas Aid

lord roberts of llandudno: To ask Her Majesty's Government how much financial aid they gave to Yemen in (1) 2016, (2) 2017, and (3) 2018.

lord bates: The UK has consistently shown leadership in responding to Yemen’s humanitarian crisis, the largest in the world. UK funding is committed on the basis of the financial year. In 2016/17 we contributed £112 million of support, in 2017/18 we contributed £205 million and in 2018/19 we will have contributed £170 million by the end of the financial year.

Department for Education

Foster Care: Private Sector

lord laming: To ask Her Majesty's Government how many children in the care of local authorities in England are in foster homes provided by private companies.

lord agnew of oulton: As of 31 March 2018, there were 16,200 looked after children in England in foster placements under private provision. Further information can be found in table A5 in the statistical release ‘Children looked after in England including adoption’ at: https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/children-looked-after-in-england-including-adoption-2017-to-2018.

Pupils: Disadvantaged

lord ouseley: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the research from University College London about reducing the attainment gap between poorer boys and their more affluent peers through earlier schooling.

lord agnew of oulton: The University College London research indicated that disadvantaged boys benefitted most from receiving all 3 terms of reception education. There are no longer local variations in the rules on when children can start school. The School Admissions Code requires the admission authorities for all schools to provide for the admission of all children in the September following their fourth birthday. Parents may, however, delay their child’s admission until a later point in the reception year if they wish. We know that early education from age 2 has long lasting benefits for children and helps to promote a child’s emotional, cognitive and social development. That is why the government introduced 15 hours of funded early education for the most disadvantaged 2 year old children from September 2013. Eligibility was expanded in September 2014 to include children from low income working families, children with a disability or special educational need and children who have left care. In April 2018, the government introduced an earnings threshold for families on Universal Credit, equivalent to a net income of £15,400 per year, to ensure that the entitlement is available to those who will benefit most. The intention behind the £15,400 threshold was to extend our reach so that the most disadvantaged parents could access a place for their child.

Pupils: Disadvantaged

lord ouseley: To ask Her Majesty's Government what consideration they have given to the introduction of additional earlier age education to achieve better attainment and education benefits for pupils from disadvantaged backgrounds.

lord agnew of oulton: Evidence from the department’s Study of Early Education and Development and the Study of Effective Primary, Pre-school and Secondary Education is clear that good-quality early education at the age of two has a variety of very positive benefits for children. Both studies are attached.All children have access to 15 hours early years education from the term after their third birthday. In addition the most disadvantaged children already have access to 15 hours a week free early education from the age of 2. 



HL14011_Study_of_Early_Education_and_Development
(PDF Document, 2.4 MB)




HL14011_Effective_Pre-school_Education
(PDF Document, 1.6 MB)

Music: Teachers

lord german: To ask Her Majesty's Government what percentage of secondary schools in England employ a full-time music teacher.

lord agnew of oulton: Information on the number of music teachers employed in state funded secondary schools in England is published in table 11 of the publication ‘School workforce in England 2017’, attached. This shows that there were 6,500 music teachers in state funded secondary schools as at November 2017.Information at school level is not held centrally. 



PQHL14052_Table_11_Head_Count_of_Teachers
(PDF Document, 56.85 KB)

Music: Curriculum

lord german: To ask Her Majesty's Government what percentage of curriculum time was allocated to music in state schools in Key Stage 3 in (1) 2010 and (2) 2017.

lord agnew of oulton: In 2010, 60,300 hours were spent teaching music to key stage 3 classes in state-funded secondary schools, which represents 3.3% of all hours taught. In 2017, 53,200 hours were spent teaching music, which represents 3.1% of all hours taught.These are national figures and it is up to individual schools to decide how much time to allocate to teaching each subject.

Personal, Social, Health and Economic Education

lord hylton: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the statement on relationships, sex and health education by Lord Agnew of Oulton on 25 February (HL Deb, cols 69–79), what plans they have to ensure that such education balances the emphasis on an individual's safety and well-being with the safety and well-being of other persons.

lord agnew of oulton: We want to support all young people to be happy, healthy and safe, in order for them to be equipped for adult life and to make a positive contribution to society. That is why we are making Relationships Education compulsory for all primary school pupils and Relationships and Sex Education (RSE) compulsory for all secondary school pupils. From 2020, Health Education will also be compulsory for all pupils in state-funded schools. We have recently published the updated draft guidance, which contains information on what schools should cover when teaching these subjects. The guidance, attached, is available here: https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/781150/Draft_guidance_Relationships_Education__Relationships_and_Sex_Education__RSE__and_Health_Education2.pdf. The guidance includes an equal focus on teaching children and young people appropriate behaviour with other people and on being safe online. For example, pupils should be taught about making sure that they treat others respectfully when they are online as well as recognising potential risks to themselves. In RSE, pupils are taught that there are a range of strategies for identifying and managing sexual pressure, including understanding and resisting peer pressure, and not pressurising others. We have made clear that, at all stages, it will be important to balance teaching children about making sensible decisions to stay safe whilst being clear that abuse is never the fault of a child who is abused and that victim blaming is always wrong. 



HL14061_Draft_Guidance_Relationships_RSE_Health_Ed
(PDF Document, 990.99 KB)

Teachers: Training

lord hylton: To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have to ensure that the development of a common shared civic morality forms part of any future professional training of teachers.

lord agnew of oulton: Teachers are expected to maintain high standards of ethics and behaviour throughout their career. The Teachers’ Standards, a copy of which is attached, make clear that ‘Teachers make the education of their pupils their first concern, and are accountable for achieving the highest possible standards in work and conduct.’ The Standards cover various aspects of teaching. Standard 8 on wider professional responsibilities sets out an expectation for teachers to make a positive contribution to the wider life and ethos of the school. Part Two of the Standards, ‘Personal and Professional Conduct’, sets out that a teacher is expected to demonstrate consistently high standards of personal and professional conduct, including maintaining high standards of ethics and behaviour. The Teachers’ Standards are used to assess all trainees working towards Qualified Teaching Status, and all those completing their statutory induction period. The recently announced Early Career Framework (ECF) was developed against the Teachers’ Standards, including Standard 8 (fulfil wider professional responsibilities). Part Two of the Teachers’ Standards must always be met and stands alongside the ECF. Once rolled out nationally in September 2021, the ECF will underpin an entitlement to a two year package of structured training and support for early career teachers. A copy of the ECF can be found attached.



HL14062_Early_Career_Framework
(PDF Document, 688.52 KB)




HL14062_Teachers__Standards
(PDF Document, 184.35 KB)

English Baccalaureate

lord black of brentwood: To ask Her Majesty's Government what proportion of GCSE pupils (1) entered, and (2) passed, the English Baccalaureate in (a) 2014, and (b) 2018.

lord agnew of oulton: The proportion of pupils entered for the English Baccalaureate (EBacc), and the proportion of pupils who achieved all components, can be found in the table below.Proportion of pupils entered for the English Baccalaureate (EBacc), and the proportion of pupils who achieved all components Pupils at end key stage 4[1] (All schools[2])Pupils at end key stage 4[2] (State-funded schools[3]) 2013/142017/18[4]2013/142017/18[5] Number of pupils618,437583,617558,432523,626 Percentage of pupils entered for the EBacc[5]:36.3%35.2%38.7%38.4% Percentage of pupils who achieved all components of the EBacc: (grades A*-C/9-4)[5], [6]22.9%22.2%24.2%24.1%Source: Key stage 4 and multi-academy trust performance 2018 (revised) series.[7]  [1] Including entries and achievements in previous academic years.[2] All schools includes state-funded schools, independent schools, independent special schools, non-maintained special schools, hospital schools, pupil referral units and alternative provision. Alternative provision includes academy and free school alternative provision.[3] State-funded schools include academies, free schools, city technology colleges, further education colleges with provision for 14 to 16 year-olds and state-funded special schools. They exclude independent schools, independent special schools, non-maintained special schools, hospital schools and alternative provision. Alternative provision includes academy and free school alternative provision.[4] Figures for 2017/18 are revised, all other figures are final.[5] As a percentage of pupils at the end of key stage 4.[6] In 2013/14, where the English language and English literature option was chosen in EBacc English, exams in both had to be taken and a C grade or above achieved in English language. From 2017, following the introduction of the reformed 9 to 1 GCSEs in English, exams in both English Language and English Literature had to be taken and a grade 4 or above achieved in either subject. Further 9 to 1 reforms in New GCSEs in other EBacc subjects were phased in from September 2016.[7] The full Key stage 4 and multi-academy trust performance 2018 (revised) series can be found here: https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/772852/2018_National_tables.xlsx.

Universities: Admissions

lord black of brentwood: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer byViscount Younger of Leckie on 3 December 2018 (HL11550), what further discussions have taken place between the Department for Education and the Russell Group of universities regarding adding music to their list of facilitating subjects; and what progress has been made in that regard.

viscount younger of leckie: This government recognises the importance of arts subjects, including music. Universities are autonomous from government and consequently control the criteria used to determine admissions. We are aware that the Russell Group, which comprises 24 of the UK’s leading universities, publish guidance designed to assist applicants in identifying the A level subjects most likely to facilitate entry to one of their member universities. From engagement with the Russell Group, we understand they are currently reviewing their guidance.The ability for students to make informed choices is at the heart of our recent reforms to higher education. We are increasing the information available to students to ensure they can make informed choices about what and where to study.

Free School Meals

baroness boycott: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by the Parliamentary Under Secretary for Education on 19 February (HC219512), whether they plan to seek to increase the number of eligible pupils who claim free school meals; and what assessment they have made of a no-deal Brexit on the number of children eligible for those meals.

baroness boycott: To ask Her Majesty's Government, following the publication on 26 February of the report Implications for Business and Trade of a No Deal Exit on 29 March 2019, what plans they have to mitigate the impact of a 6.3 to 9 per cent shrinking of the UK economy on pupils’ health and wellbeing; and what assessment they have made of a temporary increase in eligibility for free school meal provision to all children from families receiving (1) Universal Credit, and (2) other benefits.

lord agnew of oulton: Leaving the European Union with a deal remains the government’s top priority. Our eligibility criteria for free school meals (FSM) support children from the most disadvantaged backgrounds by providing a free and healthy school meal each day. This is an important benefit for disadvantaged children. We have no plans to change these criteria, including under a no-deal scenario for exiting the European Union, and have made no assessment of any potential impact on the number of children eligible for FSM in a no-deal scenario. We want to make sure as many eligible pupils as possible are claiming their FSM and to make it as simple as possible for schools and local authorities to determine eligibility. All local authorities have access to the Eligibility Checking System, which significantly reduces the time otherwise taken to check eligibility. We have also shared a model registration form and guidance, which schools can use as part of their enrolment process. In addition, we provide guidance to work coaches so that they can make Universal Credit recipients and those on income-related legacy benefits aware that they may also be entitled to wider benefits, including FSM.

Academies: Governing Bodies

lord watson of invergowrie: To ask Her Majesty's Government how many academy trusts allow democratic parental involvement on the boards of individual schools within the trust.

lord agnew of oulton: The department is committed to ensuring that parents play an active role in school governance.That is why all academy trusts must have at least 2 parents on each local governing body of their schools. In cases where the trustees have not appointed local governing bodies or no provision is made for at least 2 parents on each established local governing body, there must be a minimum of 2 parents on the academy trust’s board of trustees.

Ministry of Justice

Legal Aid Scheme: Housing

lord beecham: To ask Her Majesty's Government how much legal aid they have provided to housing lawyers in (1) 2012, (2) 2013, (3) 2014, (4) 2015, (5) 2016, (6) 2017, and (7) 2018.

lord beecham: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of people's access to housing lawyers.

lord keen of elie: This information is published by the Ministry of Justice, and can be accessed at https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/legal-aid-statistics. Statistics are released on a quarterly basis. The expenditure on housing matters for advice and assistance under the Legal Help scheme is located in the ‘Main Tables’ document, at table 5.3. Expenditure on housing matters for representation at court is located in table 6.5. Please note that costs in cases where legal aid was awarded, but which were recovered from the other side, are published separately at table 6.7. Legal aid for housing advice is available to help people with a range of housing problems, subject to statutory means and merits tests. The Legal Aid Agency frequently reviews market capacity to make sure there is adequate provision around the country, and moves quickly to ensure provision where gaps may appear. As of 1 March there is at least one provider offering housing and debt services in all but 4 procurement areas, representing over 97% coverage across England and Wales. The Legal Aid Agency has opened a further tender to secure provision in the remaining areas. Irrespective of location in England and Wales, legal advice for housing remains available through a telephone service as well.

Legal Aid Scheme: Terrorism

lord truscott: To ask Her Majesty's Government what is their current policy on allowing legal aid to be provided to avowed terrorists or those who overtly support terrorism.

lord keen of elie: An individual can get access to legal aid if the matter or issue in question is within scope of the legal aid scheme, as defined in the Legal Aid, Sentencing and Punishment of Offenders Act 2012. If the matter is not within the scope of the scheme, the individual could apply for legal aid via the Exceptional Case Funding (ECF) scheme if they can demonstrate that failure to provide legal aid would breach, or risk breaching, the European Convention on Human Rights or an enforceable EU law right. For both ECF applications and for matters in scope of legal aid, the applicant must meet the statutory means and merit criteria.

Treasury

Credit Cards: Fees and Charges

lord bruce of bennachie: To ask Her Majesty's Government what charges they expect to be applied after Brexit to UK credit card transactions in EU member states.

lord bates: The UK and EU negotiating teams have reached agreement on the terms of an Implementation Period that will start on 29 March 2019 and last until 31 December 2020. During the Implementation Period, the UK will no longer be a Member State of the European Union, but market access will continue on current terms. This would mean that the current ban on surcharging consumer credit and debit cards, as set out in the second Payment Services Directive, would apply during an Implementation Period. In the event that the UK leaves the European Union without a Withdrawal Agreement or Implementation Period, credit and debit card transactions with UK payment cards in EU member states could become more expensive and surcharges may be applied, given the UK would be treated as a third country in relation to the EU. As the second Payment Services Directive, which currently bans surcharging for consumer credit and debit cards issued in EU Member States, would no longer apply to UK payment cards, any changes would be a result of the laws of individual EU Member States. The UK Government cannot legislate with respect to surcharges applied by merchants in the EU, and any decision to apply a surcharge would be a commercial decision by the merchant. Merchants in the UK will continue to be banned from applying surcharges to payments made by a consumer credit or debit card issued by a provider based in the UK.

Banks

lord taylor of warwick: To ask Her Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to help co-ordinate a post-Brexit strategy for financial institutions in the UK banking sector.

lord bates: The Government’s ambition for the future relationship is to preserve the economic benefits of the most important financial services traded between the UK and EU, and ensure stable institutional processes for governing it. This ambition is reflected in the Political Declaration agreed between UK and EU negotiators last November. Leaving the EU with a deal remains the Government’s top priority, and the Prime Minister is continuing to work to obtain legally binding changes to the Withdrawal Agreement that deal with parliament’s concerns on the backstop. However, it is the role of a responsible Government to prepare for all outcomes, including no-deal. As a result, the Government - through the onshoring programme and Financial Services (Implementation of Legislation) Bill - is also doing the necessary work to make sure that we continue to have a stable and functioning financial services regime at the point of leaving the EU in any scenario and to minimise disruption for UK households and businesses. The UK’s post-Brexit strategy for financial institutions will depend heavily on the final terms of our exit from the European Union, and the nature of our relationship post-Exit. We remain committed to preserving our competitive position as a world leader in financial services after the UK has left the EU.

Public Sector: Food

baroness boycott: To ask Her Majesty's Government how much of the £2 billion in funding to prepare for Brexit, provided to 25 departments by the Chancellor of the Exchequer on 18 December 2018, has been allocated to departments responsible for the provision of food in (1) schools, (2) hospitals and (3) care homes.

lord bates: HM Treasury has allocated over £2bn of additional funding for 19/20. A full breakdown of the allocations can be found in the Chief Secretary’s Written Ministerial Statement, HCWS1205, laid on the 18th December.

Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government

Homelessness

lord beecham: To ask Her Majesty's Government how much fundingthey have provided to local authoritiesto prevent homelessness(1) since the Homelessness Reduction Act 2017 was enacted, and (2) in each of the last 10 years prior to the enactment of that Act.

lord bourne of aberystwyth: This Government is committed to reducing homelessness and rough sleeping. No one should ever have to sleep rough. That is why last summer we published the cross-government Rough Sleeping Strategy which sets out an ambitious £100 million package to help people who sleep rough now, but also puts in place the structures that will end rough sleeping once and for all. Already, this has provided over 1,750 new bed spaces and 500 staff– this means there are more people in warm beds tonight as direct result of government funding.In all, the Government has now committed over £1.2 billion to tackle homelessness and rough sleeping over the spending review period. Since the Homelessness Reduction Act 2017 was enacted on 3rd April 2018 local authorities have been allocated £346 million. The table below highlights the amount of funding issued to local authorities in each of the years prior to the Homelessness Reduction Act being enacted:Programme Name09/1010/1111/1212/1313/1414/1515/1616/1717/1818/19£m£m£m£m£m£m£m£m£m£mPreventing Homelessness Visible Core52.43252.23790.34090.34079.95078.75378.72778.68878.99378.941Preventing Homelessness9.01510.06720.9700.9204.1223.33810.6635.59851.07444.744Flexible Homelessness Support Grant--------186.000192.197Rough Sleeping Initiative---------30.000Total61.44762.304111.31091.26084.07282.09189.39084.286316.067345.882

Almshouses: Charities

baroness eaton: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of whether the selective licensing regime, introduced in the Housing Act 2004 to tackle rogue landlords, has resulted inAlmshouse Charities that are not registered providers of social housing being financially penalised.

lord bourne of aberystwyth: Only registered housing providers are exempt from selective licensing. This is to ensure that all privately rented accommodation is properly regulated. We take this approach to ensure that high standards are maintained in all rental properties and all tenants are protected. Almshouse Charities are free to register as providers of social housing and some 25 per cent already are. Where almshouses decide not to register, local authorities have discretion to discount or waive fees associated with the licensing process.Going forward, the Government has commissioned a thorough and independent review into the effectiveness of selective licensing. This is on schedule to report in Spring 2019. The Department will consider the outcomes of the review carefully, including how selecting licensing works for local communities and charitable organisations.

Help to Buy Scheme

lord beecham: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they will require the price of houses purchased under the Help to Buy Scheme to be no higher than that charged for comparable properties built by the same developer.

lord bourne of aberystwyth: Under the Help to Buy: Equity Loan scheme, the lender is responsible for the valuation of each home at the initial sale. The home cannot be sold at a price higher than this valuation. This ensures that homes are sold at market value.The most recent independent evaluation of the scheme also found that Help to Buy prices have risen in line with the prices for other new build properties and are consistently below the average new build price.

Vagrancy Act 1824

lord jones of cheltenham: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they have given consideration torepealing the Vagrancy Act 1824; and whether they consider that prosecuting people for being homeless isappropriate.

lord bourne of aberystwyth: This Government is clear that no-one should be criminalised simply for having nowhere to live and sleeping rough. The cross-Government Rough Sleeping Strategy, which was published in August, committed to reviewing homelessness and rough sleeping legislation, including the Vagrancy Act 1824. The Government believes that review of the 1824 Act, rather than immediate wholesale repeal, is the right course of action to ensure the consequences of repeal are fully understood and other options are properly considered.For example, the consequences of repeal on the police’s ability to deal with certain street behaviours and the potential impact of offences under alternative legislation, which might have a higher burden of proof and higher penalties than those under the 1824 Act, would be areas of consideration. Policy officials are currently developing the terms of reference for the review.

Department for Work and Pensions

Universal Credit: Refugees

baroness lister of burtersett: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Baroness Buscombe on 4 February (HL13023), what assessment they have made of any potential issues that could arise as a result of making Universal Credit payments into someone else’s bank account where a refugee does not have their own account.

baroness buscombe: Individuals nominate the bank account that they want their Universal Credit award to be paid into, and can therefore choose the bank account holder responsible. Universal Credit awards do not have to be paid into another bank account; as previously stated, Universal Credit awards can be paid through a Post Office Card Account or payments can be made using the Government Payment Exception Service.

Social Security Benefits: Interviews

baroness lister of burtersett: To ask Her Majesty's Government, in the light ofclaimants who arrive late for an interview being subject to sanctions, what facilities are available at Jobcentres and associated contractors’ premises to accommodate claimants who arrive early; whether there are any time restrictions for the accommodation of early arrivals; and whether good practice guidance on early arrivals has been, or will be, issued.

baroness buscombe: Assisting claimants who arrive early for appointments is an established daily occurrence for Jobcentre staff. Our Service Delivery teams provide a professional, supportive and welcoming environment for our customers, providing advice, digital coaching and helping claimants set up and maintain their Universal Credit claims. Claimants who arrive early for an interview are able to make use of the available facilities within the Jobcentre. This includes access to free Wi-Fi and customer computers. Computers are available at jobcentres to support claimants who need help with making their claim digitally and apply for jobs online. This provides access to digital channels in every Jobcentre for claimants to use if they do not have access at home.

Food: Prices

lord myners: To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans the Department for Work and Pensions has to establish a hardship fund for those most affected by a rise in food prices as a result of Brexit.

baroness buscombe: The benefit system provides support for eligible claimants on low incomes or no incomes to claim for financial support for daily living expenses.As part of the process to ensure our orderly exit, we continue to monitor the effects of Brexit on the economy. Leaving the EU with a deal remains the Government’s top priority. That is why we are redoubling our efforts to reach a negotiated deal that Parliament can support. As the Prime Minister has made clear, the best way forward is for the UK to leave the EU in an orderly way with a good deal and the Government is working to deliver legal certainty on the UK’s future relationship with the EU. Following our exit from the European Union, we are committed to maintaining a close and collaborative relationship with the EU.

Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

Commonwealth: Environment Protection

lord luce: To ask Her Majesty's Government what progress has been made in implementing decisions taken by the Commonwealth Heads of Government in London in April 2018 on (1) the Commonwealth Blue Charter, (2) the Commonwealth Clean Oceans Alliance on marine plastic pollution, and (3) any other decision taken to improve the environment.

lord gardiner of kimble: In April last year, the UK hosted one of the most successful Commonwealth Heads of Government Meetings (CHOGM) ever. All 53 members of the Commonwealth adopted the Commonwealth Blue Charter, agreed to establish action groups on ocean issues led by Commonwealth member countries and mandated the Secretariat to take forward a Commonwealth Blue Charter plan of action. Since CHOGM, nine action groups have now been proposed of which the UK Government has joined three so far: the coral reef protection, ocean acidification, and ocean and climate change action groups. The UK Government is in the process of joining the action groups on Mangroves and Marine Protected Areas. The UK and Vanuatu also spearhead the groundbreaking Commonwealth Clean Oceans Alliance (CCOA), the action group to tackle the scourge of plastic pollution in the ocean. The CCOA has gained unparalleled support since its launch in April, increasing its membership from seven to 24 countries across the Caribbean, Africa, Asia and the Pacific regions. In recognition of our global leadership on tackling the problem of plastic in the ocean, the Prime Minister has announced up to £66.4 million of UK aid to assist Commonwealth countries. This includes a technical assistance facility that will support developing countries in achieving their commitments under the CCOA, which was increased from £5 million to £10 million by the Prime Minister in August last year. The first phase of the £6 million Commonwealth Litter Programme (CLiP) work in the Pacific region has been completed. Minister Coffey and Pacific country leaders attended a regional conference last month to showcase the marine litter action plans produced by the CLiP with Vanuatu and the Solomon Islands. Furthermore, over 35 Government funded Commonwealth Blue Charter Fellowships are underway which continue to support emerging Commonwealth scholars to explore solutions to the marine plastics challenge. We have made tremendous progress in safeguarding our ocean since CHOGM 2018 and we expect even more successful action ahead of the next CHOGM meeting in Rwanda in 2020. The UK is committed to the Sustainable Development Goals, and tackling climate change and managing the natural environment is a core part of the Government’s international work. For example: The UK has increased its contribution to the Global Environment Facility to £250 million in the latest replenishment round (2018-2022).The Prime Minister will lead on galvanising international efforts on climate resilience at the UN Secretary General’s Summit in September this year.As part of a £61.4 million package of UK support announced by the Prime Minister at CHOGM, together with further announcements made during the Prime Minister’s visit to Africa, the Government has committed support to priority countries to increase recycling and tackle poor waste management. This includes: £3 million to trial approaches to the management of plastic waste in cities in three developing Commonwealth countries (Bangladesh, Ghana and Uganda) and up to £10 million of technical assistance to developing countries that have signed up to the CCOA. At the International Wildlife Trade Conference hosted in London in October last year, the Government reaffirmed its commitment to tackling the international wildlife trade and we are now investing over £36 million between 2014 and 2021 to counter the trade, including £900,000 of new funding to develop a British military counter-poaching taskforce in Africa. At last year’s Katowice Climate Change Conference, the UK demonstrated its climate leadership through our instrumental role in the creation of a rulebook to bring the Paris Agreement to life. This common set of rules and metrics is essential for driving genuine climate action globally and for future agreements. Since April last year the Green Climate Fund has approved the funding of $1.05 billion in funding proposals, and successfully launched its first replenishment for the second resource mobilisation phase. A further $122.5 million has been approved for readiness funding to be deployed this year. Polices related to results management, prohibited practices, the restructuring and cancellation of funding proposals and the appointment of the World Bank as Trustee were also approved. The Fund also selected its next Executive Director, who will serve a four year term from April. As announced by the Foreign Secretary at CHOGM, the UK and New Zealand co-hosted a meeting at Wilton Park on 16-18 December to discuss climate change and resilience in the Pacific. The Forum was an opportunity to listen to Pacific concerns, needs and priorities in relation to climate change, and provided a space for representatives from across governments and the academic and private sectors to discuss innovative solutions to these challenges.

Fisheries: Northern Ireland and Republic of Ireland

lord kilclooney: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether fishing vessels from Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland have reciprocal access to each other's inshore waters; what representations they have made to that government to restore the provisions of the Voisinage Agreement; whether Northern Irish fishing boats have been recently seized by authorities in the Republic of Ireland; and what assessment they have made of whether the seizure of such vessels constitutes a hard border in the Irish Sea.

lord gardiner of kimble: The Voisinage Arrangement between the UK and Ireland provides for reciprocal access to fish in the 0-6nm zone. The arrangement has, however, been suspended by Ireland following a decision by the Irish Supreme Court in 2016. As a result, fishing by Northern Irish vessels within Ireland’s 0-6nm zone is currently not permitted. The UK has continued to respect the arrangement. The Government has made numerous representations to the Irish Government since 2016 to push for the reinstatement of the arrangement as soon as possible. In particular, Defra’s former Minister of State, George Eustice, met Minister Creed, the Irish Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine, on 24 March 2018 and wrote to him on 6 June 2018 to reiterate concerns about the suspension of the arrangement by Ireland. The Secretary of State further raised the issue with Minister Creed when they met on 13 June 2018. On 26 February, two Northern Irish fishing vessels were detained in Dundalk Bay for continuing to fish in the 0-6nm limit of Irish waters while the Voisinage Arrangement is suspended by Ireland. The skippers of the boats appeared in court on 1 March. They have since been released without conviction and the boats returned. The Irish Taoiseach, Leo Varadkar, committed on 1 March to changing the law to restore the status quo to what it was before 2016, and has indicated that he is confident the legislation can be passed quickly. The Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine, Minister Creed, has made similar commitments. The Government is committed to avoiding a hard border and to continue cooperation between Northern Ireland and Ireland over fisheries matters. We welcome the Irish Government’s commitments and stand ready to work with the Irish Government to reinstate a level playing field as quickly as possible for the benefit of all our fishermen.

Home Office

Borders: Northern Ireland

lord bassam of brighton: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Baroness Williams of Trafford on 19 February (HL13430), whether disclosing further details of their planning to avoid a hard border between Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland is in the public interest; if not, why not; and if not, what assessment they have made of the compliance of such non-disclosure with paragraph 1.3(d) of the ministerial code, published in January 2018.

baroness williams of trafford: Paragraph 1.3(d) of the ministerial code states Ministers should be as open as possible with Parliament and the public, refusing to provide information only when disclosure would not be in the public interest, which should be decided in accordance with the relevant statutes and the Freedom of Information Act 2000;Information relating to the Her Majesty’s Government planning to avoid the hard border between Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland is exempt from disclosure under section 35 (1) (a) of the Freedom of Information Act 2000 which states; Information held by a government department or by the Welsh Assembly Government is exempt information if it relates to (a) The formulation of Government policy.

Taxis: Greater London

lord hylton: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Baroness Sugg on 21 February(HL13733), what assurances they can providethat access to Parliament, Government departments and St Thomas’s Hospital will not be obstructed by taxis blocking Parliament Square; and whether prosecutions are in process or pending as a result of earlier blockades.

baroness williams of trafford: The management of demonstrations is an operational matter for the policeThe police are also responsible for any decisions on arrests. Following advice from the Crown Prosecution Service, the police will decide whether or not an offence reaches the threshold required for prosecution under the relevant legislation.

Informers: Children

baroness jones of moulsecoomb: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether the Investigatory Powers Commissioner has established a baseline figure for the number of juveniles used as covert human intelligence sources; and whether they will publish an annual figure of the number of such sources in his next annual report.

baroness jones of moulsecoomb: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they still describe the use of juveniles as covert human intelligence sources (CHIS) as rare, now that the time period for such juveniles being authorised to act asCHIS has been extended to four months.

baroness jones of moulsecoomb: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether social workers are always involved in any decision regarding the use of juveniles as covert human intelligence sources; and if so, whether those social workers conductarisk assessment of the physical and psychological welfare of the young person in each case.

baroness jones of moulsecoomb: To ask Her Majesty's Government who is responsible for inspecting the police's use of juveniles as covert human intelligence sources; and whether those who are responsible inspectpolicy regarding (1)payments, (2) inducements, and (3) frequency of use of each juvenile, set bysenior members of the police service.

baroness jones of moulsecoomb: To ask Her Majesty's Government what is the current age demographic of juveniles used as covert human intelligence sources; and whetherthey anticipate that this will change significantly as a result of the police seeking to address county lines drug gangs.

baroness williams of trafford: The Investigatory Powers Commissioner, Sir Adrian Fulford, has responsibility for oversight of all aspects of the use of covert human intelligence sources by public authorities with the legal power to do so, including law enforcement agencies. Regular inspections of police forces are undertaken by a team of senior inspectors from the Investigatory Powers Commissioner’s Office to ensure they comply with the legislation. In the rare instances that these powers are applied to juveniles, particular scrutiny is given to ensure an appropriate risk assessment has taken place and processes are in place to ensure their safety is paramount at all times.The Investigatory Powers Commissioner has agreed to collect additional information from all public authorities within the UK who have the statutory power to use covert human intelligence sources, to determine how often those powers are used in relation to juveniles. The Commissioner intends to write to the Chair of the Joint Committee on Human Rights shortly, with updated information on the frequency of use. The Commissioner’s next annual report will include further details of how this matter is being kept under review.The statutory framework for the deployment of juveniles as covert human intelligence sources is designed to ensure that they are deployed with great care and only in very limited and carefully managed circumstances. This will continue to be the case in future investigations. Where an appropriate adult is required to accompany a juvenile covert human intelligence source, that person should normally be the parent or guardian of the young person, or otherwise must be someone who is suitably qualified for the role such as a social worker or other person with appropriate professional qualifications. This person will also have a role in ensuring that the young person is not deployed in a way that is against their own will or against their interests. Those operating the powers have extensive guidance to ensure that the powers are used appropriately and that juveniles are suitably safeguarded. The security and welfare of the young person is paramount, and those responsible for authorising and managing the juvenile must carry out detailed risk assessments throughout the process, which include considering the physical and psychological welfare of the young person.

Drugs: Misuse

lord wasserman: To ask Her Majesty's Government what advice they have received from the Advisory Council on the Misuse of Drugs on the risks and factors that cause vulnerable people to misuse drugs, including how drug-related harms in homeless populations can be reduced.

baroness williams of trafford: The Advisory Council on the Misuse of Drugs published a report entitled Vulnerability and Drug Use on 4 December 2018. The report provides advice on risks and protective factors in relation to drug misuse and is available at:https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/vulnerabilities-and-substance-use-acmd-reportThis will be followed by a second report that will look specifically at drug misuse within the homeless population. The second report will be published during 2019.



Vulnerability and Drug Use Report - Dec 2018 
(PDF Document, 1.21 MB)

Synthetic Cannabinoids

lord wasserman: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether, and if so, when, they have asked the Advisory Council on the Misuse of Drugs whether synthetic cannabinoids should be reclassified as Category A drugs in view of the serious physical and psychological effects such drugs have on users and in order to be able to deal with those who supply such drugs with the same severity as those who supply heroin and other Category A drugs.

baroness williams of trafford: This month, the Government commissioned the Advisory Council on the Misuse of Drugs (‘ACMD’) to provide an updated assessment of the harms of synthetic cannabinoids. This assessment will include consideration of whether the current classification of synthetic cannabinoids under the Misuse of Drugs Act 1971 is appropriate. The advice has been requested by summer 2020.The commission has been included as part of the longer-term review on cannabis-based products for medicinal use and is available at: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/cannabis-based-products-for-medicinal-use-in-humans-commission-to-the-acmd 



Report - Cannabis based Products for Medicinal use
(PDF Document, 319.53 KB)

Department for International Trade

Trade Agreements: Faroe Islands

lord wallace of tankerness: To ask Her Majesty's Government what discussions they have had with the devolved administrations about the negotiation of the UK–Faroe Islands Free Trade Agreement.

baroness fairhead: The Department for International Trade (DIT) has regular engagement with the devolved administrations (DAs) on all trade continuity agreements (TAC), including on the UK-Faroe Islands Free Trade Agreement (FTA). Engagement takes place on a regular basis both at Ministerial and official level, sharing progress and inviting the DAs to highlight particular agreements of importance or concern. We also already share the full treaty text; supporting Explanatory Memorandum and Parliamentary Report and welcome their view as progress is made. DIT has agreed with DAs that further engagement would be appropriate. We have reflected on the process for agreeing continuity agreements and can confirm that it is our intention to share treaty texts with the DAs prior to them being signed. This complements our existing engagement.

Trade Agreements: Faroe Islands

lord wallace of tankerness: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether any officials or ministers of the Scottish Government were directly involved in meetings between Her Majesty's Government and representatives of the governments of the Faroe Islands and Denmark about the negotiations of the UK–Faroe Islands Free Trade Agreement.

baroness fairhead: The Department for International Trade (DIT) has regular engagement with the devolved administrations (DAs) on all trade continuity agreements (TAC), including on the UK-Faroe Islands Free Trade Agreement (FTA). Engagement takes place on a regular basis both at Ministerial and official level, sharing progress and inviting the DAs to highlight particular agreements of importance or concern. We also already share the full treaty text; supporting Explanatory Memorandum and Parliamentary Report and welcome their view as progress is made. DIT has agreed with DAs that further engagement would be appropriate. We have reflected on the process for agreeing continuity agreements and can confirm that it is our intention to share treaty texts with the DAs prior to them being signed. This complements our existing engagement.

Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport

Data Protection

lord taylor of warwick: To ask Her Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to negotiate a post-Brexit data sharing agreement with the EU; and when they anticipate that such a deal will be signed.

lord ashton of hyde: Our White Paper of July 2018 set out our EU Exit objectives relating to data protection, including our intention to seek Adequacy Decisions for the GDPR and Law Enforcement Directive and agreement on regulatory cooperation. The UK and the EU agree that the continued free flow of personal data is an important underpinning feature of our future relationship for both economic and security purposes. As set out in the Political Declaration, the EU will begin its assessment of the UK as soon as possible after the United Kingdom's withdrawal, endeavouring to adopt Adequacy Decisions by the end of December 2020. It also confirmed the objective of agreement on appropriate regulatory cooperation. The UK is ready to begin those adequacy assessments now. In the same time frame, the UK will take steps to ensure the flow of personal data to the EU. In a No Deal scenario, we will continue to make the case to the European Commission to start the adequacy assessments as soon as possible to provide the earliest possible reassurance that data flows can continue.